Twin wildfires threatening 10,000 California homes

Twin wildfires tearing through vineyards and brushy hills threatened some 10,000 homes in Northern California on Tuesday yet another front in the seemingly endless summer of wildfires that have ravaged some of the most scenic areas of the state.

The two fires straddling Mendocino and Lake counties had burned seven homes by Monday night along with some 107 square miles (277 square kilometres) of rural land.

About 100 miles (160 kilometres) north, the so-called Carr Fire that has burned more than 800 homes and killed six people has become the ninth most destructive wildfire in California history, said Scott McLean, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.